A Winter Magic Show
by chariotdunord
Summary: Winter break comes to Luna Nova! Finally Akko and Diana have plenty of time to enjoy themselves. However, Akko is suddenly faced with an unexpected obstacle to her dreams. Join our heroes for a fun, lighthearted adventure!


When Akko first arrived at Luna Nova, the rumors that a person from a non-witch family was allowed to attend the prestigious magic academy might have easily faded away were it not for Akko's rambunctious character. From causing explosions in the classrooms daily, to changing the traditions of the Samhain Festival, Akko became of rapturous interest to the entire school.

Especially after unlocking the Grand Triskelion, most attitudes have shifted positively. Many came to find Akko's antics endearing. They spiced up the monotonous life at the academy. However, like with any celebrity, there came those who hated them for their very existence. There emerged those who doubted everything Akko had done.

" _You really think a girl from a non-witch family can do those things?"_

" _She thinks she's all that."_

" _I heard she only just learned to fly a broom!_ "

Class had ended for the day, and Akko was heading back towards her dorm room. She could hear the occasional whispers exchanged between the students as she rushed by them, but she paid no attention. She never did really. She hummed Shiny Chariot's theme song as she strode lightly through the halls.

Akko rounded the corner of a corridor, just as three tall girls stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

"Sup, Akko," one said, her voice dripping with anything but friendliness. She was clearly their leader.

They stood in a triangle surrounding her. Their arms were crossed and they sported a sneer on their faces.

"Seniors..." Akko laughed nervously. She could tell something was strange, but she couldn't explain what it was. "W-What's going on?"

"Hey hey, you can tell us," the first said again in a low tone. "You weren't _really_ the one who unlocked the Grand Triskelion, yeah?"

"Yeah, it was Diana wasn't it?"

"Huh?" Akko stared at them in confusion. "Well… Diana, and all my friends, were there with me but..."

"So we're right, yeah?"

"But I was still the one chosen by Shiny Rod! I'm not trying deny that my friends helped me... but I spoke the Seven Words of Arcturus!"

Now a look of confusion passed across the leader's face. The three shared a look between themselves.

"Look kid, no one expected you to turn out to be much in magic, but now everyone - even the professors - are saying you practically saved the world. You expect us to just believe that?"

Akko had no words to reply. She didn't care nearly as much about whether they believed she spoke the Seven Words. After all she did have a lot of help from her friends. However, what really struck a nerve was that they didn't even believe she had any potential to begin with.

"We're going to be honest with you. We never liked you. We never thought it was a good idea for the school to let in someone from a non-witch family."

Their words hurt. Couldn't they see how hard she was working? She couldn't control how she was born, but she was still chasing after her passions, making her own path.

Without thinking Akko yelled out, "You just won't admit I did some things that you never could!"

The leader growled and shoved her her against the wall. She stepped in close and pinned her arm against Akko's chest. The other two flanked her sides. They had her trapped.

"What did you just say?! You think we're just gonna let you get away with that?"

"You're just jealous!"

"You better shut your mouth, kid, before I do it for you."

In the corner of her eyes, she saw the other two pull out their wands. Akko's heart pounded in her chest.

 _Why are they being so mean to me?_

Akko didn't understand. She didn't do anything wrong. Maybe if there were only one of them, she could have forced her way out. But there were three of them, and no doubt they were more advanced in magic than she was.

The leader pulled out her own wand with her other hand. Akko squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for whatever hex they were about to subject her to.

"Excuse me! What is going on here?" A voice cried out.

Immediately Akko felt the pressure against her chest ease up.

"Shit! It's Cavendish!"

"Let's scram!"

The sound of their footsteps receded into the distance, and Akko popped open an eye. She saw Diana in front of her, staring down the hall with a fierce it expression. Akko relaxed right away.

"Diana!" She cried out. "You saved me..."

"The nerve of them…" Diana said, then turned to Akko. "Are you alright?"

Akko lightly rubbed her chest. "Yeah, I'm fine… how'd you make them run away like that?"

After a pause, Diana sighed. "Considering how influential my family name is, and how closely I associate with the professors, they're probably afraid I'd sentence them to some punishment."

"Wow... you can do something like that?"

"Of course not," she scoffed. "I'm still a student after all. Everyone just thinks that."

Diana crossed her arms and looked off to the side. Akko noticed a strange look pass across her face.

"Being so well-known… it just gets you all the wrong kinds of attention."

Akko understood exactly what Diana meant. People didn't like her for who she was - only as the daughter of an eminent magician's family who, if they could sidle up to, might be able to raise their own standing. Then of course, there were those who resented her merely for her illustrious family name. It was like what Akko had just experienced.

"Yeah, I think... I get that now. Huh…" Akko scratched the back of her head. Her toes wriggled anxiously in her boots. "Um…"

Akko didn't know why she has been acting nervous around Diana lately. Ever since the Cavendish Manor, they have only grown closer. After all they've been through together Akko had readily accepted Diana as a new friend in her heart. Unfortunately after the events surrounding the missile, they've hardly had any chance to interact aside from friendly passings in the halls and in class every so often.

It was lucky that Diana could make it the day she first flew on her broom, but that aside the ever studious girl was always so busy. While she doubted it was a big possibility, Akko just didn't want to things to go back to the way they were before. She really wished she could spend some more time with Diana.

Diana cleared her throat, and Akko realized that they had been standing awkwardly in silence for who knows how long.

"Anyway... I know it is not your doing, but please stay out of trouble," Diana turned the other direction and started to head down the hall. "I cannot always be there to rescue you."

"Hey, Diana!" Akko said, causing the girl to pause and turn back. "I go out with Lotte, Sucy, and sometimes Amanda's team to the fields every few nights when we're free, just to play around a bit. You wanna come?"

"You…" Diana's voice caught in her throat. Her eyes darted around. "I don't know, I-"

"You don't have to!" Akko retreated.

She could understand why Diana might not want to. Despite all she's done, she was still the school's big problem child - Akko knew that. And Diana? Well she was the brightest student at Luna Nova. She had a reputation.

"You're probably busy anyway, and—"

"No wait! I… I suppose I'm free tonight."

Akko's face lit up instantly. "Really? Oh great! We're going to be out there at 7:30, towards the west side, okay? See you!"

Diana watched Akko dash off with a giddy spring in her tep. She sighed, surprised at her own decision. At the very least, she was glad that she always stayed on top of her homework.

* * *

"Tell me why you invited Diana again?" Sucy said for the umpteenth time that evening.

"Becaaause I thought it'd be nice to spend some more time with her!" Akko said, also for the umpteenth time. "I don't get why you're still acting so suspicious of her."

Akko, Lotte, and Sucy were out in the fields, the vast expanse of grass stretching between New Moon Tower and the academy's buildings. It was the common location for outdoor recreational activities among the students. It was wide enough to allow different groups a comfortable distance between themselves.

The sun had set not long ago, leaving a clear pink sky in its wake. From the top of the tower, the Sorcerer's Stone casted about a blue-green tint, and the air pulsed with its magic.

"I agree with Akko. It might be nice to get to know Diana a little," Lotte said. "But I wonder if she's really going to come tonight."

"She will! She said she will!"

"Are Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka coming?"

"I think Amanda has detention, and Constanze and Jasminka said they're busy."

Akko stood staring at the academy buildings in the distance. Lotte and Sucy sat on the ground as they waited. Sucy quietly observed the bugs and plants around her.

Eventually, Akko saw a figure flying towards them on a broom.

"There she is, there she is!"

Diana floated towards them on her broom. With the sunset sky behind her and her hair billowing in the wind - Akko thought she looked absolutely stunning. As Diana touched down from the air, Akko ran up to greet her.

"Diana, you're here!" she said, almost jumping up and down by her side.

"Good evening, Akko," she replied. Then her glance then fell to a golden staff tied behind Akko's back, with seven glittering gems inlaid in its body. Her eyes widened in surprise.

Diana recalled that a while ago, Akko had asked Professor Croix to make her a replica of Shiny Rod. The replica had no magical properties, but her seeing its stunning likeness for the first time made it appear just as enchanting as the original.

Lotte and Sucy had also made their way over to greet her.

"Hello, Diana!"

"Hey."

Diana looked over the two before her. She dipped her head politely in a small bow. She was nervous, unaccustomed to being around Akko's friends.

"Good evening, Miss Yanson-"

"No need for that. Just Lotte is fine," Lotte said with a welcoming smile. Sucy also nodded her assent.

"Right… Lotte, Sucy… good evening."

Akko grinned and spun around to face the others.

"Alright! Too bad the others aren't here, because tonight's gonna be fun! Let the Shiny Revival Committee meeting… begin!"

"Yay," Sucy said with indifference, while Lotte politely clapped. Diana hesitated slightly before joining Lotte in clapping.

"We've been making good progress, but! With our new member from here on out we're kicking it up a notch!"

"Wait a minute," Diana said as Lotte began clapping again. "From here on out?"

"That's right, Diana! You're our new member on the Shiny Revival Committee! Together we'll work to usher in the next generation of Shiny Chariot!"

"I do not recall agreeing to this." Diana muttered under her breath and crossed her arms.

But she couldn't deny that it intrigued her as well. Even though she tended to make rash decisions without consulting others, this was just her continuing to chase after her dream. It was endearing, and Diana was glad that she could be a part of it.

"Lotte! Where were we last time?"

Lotte pulled out a scroll from her sleeve and unfurled it.

"Let's see… we're still trying to finish the stage choreography for your first show. It might a bit hard without Amanda tonight since she's the dance coordinator."

"Mm… I knew I should've brought my Chariot DVD sets from home for reference," Akko grumbled.

"You probably won't be able to play them here anyway," Sucy pointed out.

"Uh-uh! Constanze probably has a DVD player somewhere, or she can make one."

"I thought cameras can't pick up most illusion magic."

"It's not all illusion magic, and you can still see Chariot move!"

"Sounds pretty lame if it's just her dancing around on stage."

"That's why seeing her in person is a so great! And it's not lame! The boxset is one of my most expensive treasures!"

"More like a money leech."

"It's a treasure!"

Diana stared incredulously at the two as they argued back and forth. She caught Lotte's eye, and the girl's exasperated but resigned smile seemed to say " _Oh, here they go again._ "

But Diana could tell how much time they were wasting, especially if this were to continue. If Akko's team was always like this, then she wondered how they ever got any group assignment in class done. It looked like she had to be the one to steer them back on track.

Diana took a breath, and gave a loud, conspicuous, " _AHEM"._

It had the desired effect. Akko and Sucy immediately stopped to look in her direction.

"Could we perhaps return to the matter at hand?"

"O-oh… right," Akko stammered, her steam so quickly diffused. "Uh… Lotte, where were we again?"

"The stage choreography." Lotte straightened her glasses and peered carefully at the scroll. "We have planned choreography without Amanda before… Or how about the music? Or our costume designs? I know you said you liked them already but..."

"Or we can brainstorm more cheesy catchphrases again," Sucy said.

"Ugh, you just keep making fun of them, Sucy." Akko dragged her hand down her face. "I can't think of anything else."

As Akko grumbled away, Diana found herself staring intently once again at the staff tied to Akko's back. The jewels encased in its body gleamed beautifully against the dusk, reflecting the light of the Sorcerer's Stone. Then an idea struck her.

"Perhaps we can consult Professor Ursula," she said, drawing the others' attention again. "She might have ideas left from her performance days."

"Oh! That's a good idea!" Lotte wrote it down in her scroll.

"Uh… I don't know…" Akko said, shuffling her feet.

"Is something going?" Diana asked. "You two made up, didn't you?"

She was answered with only silence, until Sucy finally spoke up in Akko's place.

"Now that the initial excitement has worn off, she's gone shy knowing that Professor Ursula is her biggest idol."

Diana blinked, then couldn't help but let out an incredulous laugh. "Is that all it is?"

"You don't understand, Diana!" Akko said. "I've been acting like a total goof around her the entire time!"

Diana sighed. "Listen Akko, you will always be a goof, but if Professor Ursula already likes you then things wouldn't be any different just because you know she's Chariot."

"Well… yeah I guess…"

Lotte placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm sure it makes her very happy every time you talk about how much you like Chariot around her," she said gently. "How can anyone not appreciate being complimented so much?"

Akko looked between her friends, and at last a determined smile broke out on her face. "You're right. Thanks so much guys."

"Of course," Diana said, smiling back. It was amusing how quickly Akko bounced back with a few encouraging words, and it was just another part of her straightforward personality that she loved.

Akko pumped a fist into the air. "Alright! Let's go see Professor Ursula!"

But before anyone could act, Diana spoke again. "Actually, I suggest we call it a night."

"Aww why?!" Akko slumped down.

"By the time we get back to the dorms and speak to her, it would already be curfew. I suggest we save this for another night."

Lotte checked the time on her wand. "Diana's right. We should continue this later."

Akko sprung up again. "Well that's okay! Next time we'll speak to _Chariot_! And that means... _someone_ would definitely want to come out with us again, hm?"

Akko directed her gaze very conspicuously in Diana's direction, practically leaning her entire body towards her. Diana sighed, but couldn't help but feel a small smile pull at the corners of her lips.

After Akko had showed all her friends her shiny new Chariot card, it wasn't long until she had to begrudgingly reveal its source.

"I suppose I must," she said, and went to pick up her broom from where she left it.

Sucy and Lotte went to grab their brooms too, and soon the four were flying back towards the school buildings.

Akko sat behind Sucy on her broom. While she had finally managed to lift off the ground by herself, her own broom was still very unpredictable.

The air had only gotten chillier lately with the onset of winter. They've already had several snowfalls. Akko found herself leaning in closely to Sucy for warmth.

"Oooh, I can't wait guys!" Akko said, swaying in her spot on the broom. "Chariot herself is going to be on our Shiny Revival team! And we're gonna make so much progress!"

"I wouldn't go that far just yet," Sucy said, not to be mean but just realistic.

"Well, you will have plenty of time to practice your act," Lotte said, drifting closer to the two so they could hear her. "After all our school break is coming up soon."

"School break?" Akko asked.

"A two week period in which classes are suspended," Diana explained. "Some students choose to go home, and some prefer stay at the school. Either way one has a lot of free time without classes and new homework every day."

"That's pretty nice!" Akko put her head on Sucy's shoulder. "What are you doing for the break, Sucy?"

"I'm going home. I wanted to stay here to do some more experiments, but it turns out I need a few reagents native to my homeland."

"I'm going home too," Lotte said. "My parents miss me, so I go home every year."

Akko thought about what her teammates said. She really wanted to stay at Luna Nova and keep practicing her magic and act. If she went home, she won't have access to all of the school's valuable resources. But then again, if both of her teammates are going home, it would be pretty lonely without them.

"What about you, Diana?"

"I will be staying. Even without classes it is no excuse to suspend my own studies."

Akko figured she'd say that, but she was happy. She'd have at least someone she knew, and if she stayed too then they might be able to spend more time together. Akko decided then.

"Alright! I'm staying too!"

"You are?" Lotte said.

"Yup, and just watch. When you and Sucy get back, I'll put on show like you've never seen!"

The four had reached the dorm buildings, and they touched down at the courtyards outside. The sky was dark, though a glimmer of light still rested above the horizon.

"Then you better fill out the request form soon," Diana said. "The school needs to know you're staying to prepare accommodations."

"Okay, thanks!" Akko said, and before Diana could turn to head for her own room, she called out. "And thanks for joining us today, Diana! Let's do it again!"

Diana responded with a nod and a small smile. "Yes. Thank you for having me. Goodnight, Akko."

"Goodnight!" Akko said, and with that, they parted ways.

* * *

It was move-out day at Luna Nova. A one-way leyline terminal was opened from dawn to dusk, and many students that were staying would accompany their teammates that were leaving to the terminal to say their farewells.

The day was nearing noon. Akko faced Lotte and Sucy, who stood in front of the glowing school gates with their belongings on their backs.

"See you in two weeks, Akko," Lotte said. "We're going to miss you."

Akko, tears pooling in her eyes, rushed forward to hug her friends.

"I'm gonna miss you guys too!" She blubbered. Akko then pulled back, wiped her face, and gave them a thumbs-up. "When you guys get back, I'll have the best magic show ready for you!"

Lotte and Sucy went to join the queue of people in front of the gate, and Akko left to search for Diana in the crowd. She heard from Diana that Hannah and Barbara were leaving for the break too, so she should be here too saying goodbye.

Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka had also told her they were leaving. She ran into them in the crowd and exchanged farewells.

Finally, she spotted Diana and her friends engaged in a tight embrace.

"Oh, good afternoon, Akko," Diana said, noticing Akko first as she approached.

"Hey Diana! Hi Hannah, hi Barbara!"

"Hey Akko," they greeted her.

Akko smiled warmly at the two. Ever since she brought Diana back to school, Akko had been on good terms with Hannah and Barbara, and she was proud of this development.

"Um… you gave Lotte my contact info, right?" Barbara asked with a shy blush.

"Mhm, of course! It's so cool that you two have something in common like Nightfall!"

"Make sure Diana doesn't work too hard, okay?" Hannah said. "It's the break after all. We're counting on you, Akko."

Diana sighed. "Girls, I'm telling you, I'll be fine."

"Leave it to me!" Akko said with a grin and a hearty salute. "I'll make sure she gets plenty of playtime and a good night's sleep every day!"

" _Playtime?_ "

Satisfied with her answer, Hannah and Barbara gave Diana one more hug before bidding her farewell and joining the queue.

"Honestly, Akko, I am not your household pet," Diana said once her friends had left.

Akko giggled and grabbed onto Diana's arm. She pulled her along back towards the school buildings.

"C'mon, Diana, let's go play!~" Akko sing-songed. "Okay but seriously, Professor Ursula gave a bunch of great tips for my act, and she's been teaching me a bunch of the spells she used to use. I wanna start practicing right away!"

"Ahem, aren't you forgetting something, Akko?"

"Eh?" Akko stopped and turned around. "Did I leave something behind at the gate?"

"No, Akko, I'm referring to the load of homework assigned to us over the break. We should get it all done first before you completely forget about it and have to do it last minute."

"I'm not gonna forget about it..."

Diana crossed her arms and looked pointedly at the girl.

"Aww but it's going to take forever!" Akko said, pouting.

"Tell you what." Diana placed a hand on Akko's shoulder. "We'll have some 'playtime' for a little bit first. Then after that, we go get all of our homework done. Sound good?"

"Yeay!" Akko pumped both of her fists in the air and spun around. She then grabbed Diana's hand again and together they hurried back to the school buildings.

They stopped in the middle of the courtyard. Now that many students have left for the break, there would be plenty of free space for quite a while.

Akko pulled out a scroll and unfurled it, revealing elaborate sketches of stick figures in different stages of a choreographed routine. With a little magic from Ursula, the figures also moved and danced on the page, which helped to see the movements more clearly.

"Check it out," Akko said, holding the scroll to her side to let Diana next to her see as well. "Professor Ursula helped make some changes. Especially here - she said it'll look better from the audience at any angle."

"Yes, I can see the difference," Diana said, examining the scroll. "Wait, you're not using your Shiny Rod replica anymore?"

"Nah, I decided that's Chariot's thing, and mine isn't even real. Besides, I would have to hold Shiny Rod with my own wand, and you know how clumsy I am."

"That's true."

"Can you hold up the scroll for me while I try it out, Diana?"

"Of course," Diana said, and pulled out her wand to cast a quick a levitation spell.

Diana watched as Akko pranced and twirled around, flourishing her own wand in her hands. She feinted the movements of each spell she would use and spouted her own sound effects. Her movements were still choppy and unrefined, but seeing the girl's utterly elated expression as she practiced her future performance routine was enough to bring a smile to Diana's face as well.

"Okay, this part I need to work on the most," Akko said, pausing for a moment. "I just keep messing up here."

The movement involved a slightly complicated turn, and as Akko attempted the procedure she lost her balance on the final landing step, pitching her whole body forward.

"Uwawawah...!" Akko threw her arms out, waving them to regain her balance. "Whew... see what I mean, Diana?"

"Hm..." Diana peered more closely at the wiggling figures on the scroll, trying to discern exactly where Akko's misstep was. "Can you do that one more time for me?"

"Ugh, I'll try," Akko said.

She repositioned herself into the required stance and moved again to the instructions. Just as before, on the final step she found herself losing her balance - and this time she really did fall down.

"Aaaawww! I just can't do it!"

"Maybe you should try taking smaller steps. I think you're extending your center out too far from your body, but this way it'd be easier to keep your balance."

"Huh." Akko got up and did as Diana instructed, and to her surprise it became significantly easier. She wasn't teetering on falling over at least. "Wow, Diana! You're totally right!"

Diana smiled. "I'm glad I could help."

"Hey, Diana, maybe you should do these with me!"

"What!?" Diana blanched. "No, I... I couldn't possibly-"

"Oh come on, I don't want you to just stand there the entire time. You should have some fun too!"

"I don't know if I'd consider this fun..." Diana muttered, and begrudgingly took a spot at Akko's side.

It wasn't that she thought spending time with Akko like this wasn't fun, but _her_ dancing? She had never done anything of the sort in her life.

 _But how hard could it be?_ \- Diana thought. She had just watched Akko go through these steps - not to mention the scroll was floating right in front of them too - so it shouldn't too hard to replicate them herself, right?

The two positioned themselves in the opening pose.

"Families and friends, welcome!" Akko said, playing the voice of an announcer. "3, 2, 1… Lights! And… go!"

"Uueh…!" Diana stumbled almost immediately. Her movements felt clunky and stiff. She did her best to keep up, but it seemed like she was always at least one beat behind. Everything was different when she wasn't just watching. All the steps were in a reversed direction too.

They approached Akko's trouble spot - but Diana was far too preoccupied trying to match the tempo to even remember her own advice. She stepped wide, far too wide, and pitched forward face-first into the grass.

"Diana!" Akko was at her side right away. She knelt next to the fallen girl. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Diana sat back up quickly, but her face was flushed with exertion.

"C'mon, let's try again!"

"I'd… I'd rather not."

"Eeeh!? But you looked so good!"

It had taken Akko weeks just to memorize the steps, but it looked like Diana already knew them all just from watching her practice - even if she was just a bit behind in tempo.

Diana felt her the red on her face deepen. "That was hardly an adequate performance…"

Akko noticed Diana's abashed look, the blush on her cheeks, the way she avoided her gaze and stared at the ground, how she had crossed her arms over her chest.

Akko gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes - Diana was embarrassed! She felt her chest squeeze at the sight, and she couldn't help but burst out in giggles.

"Are you laughing at me!?"

"N-No, no I'm not!" Akko said, still giggling. "Sorry, Diana, but you were so cute!"

"Enough already!" Diana pushed Akko's face away, causing her to fall back on her rear. "I'm not doing it again."

Akko stopped laughing right away. "Aww no wait, Diana! Pleeease! I really want you to do it with me! I was having so much fun!"

Diana groaned as she considered. In the end, she couldn't win against Akko's pleading face.

"Fine," she sighed eventually. "We'll practice a bit more - but after this it's straight to the library!"

"Yeay!" Akko sprung to her feet and helped Diana up as well.

They took their starting positions again, and the two practiced into the afternoon.

* * *

Akko and Diana spent the next several days of the break like so. In the mornings after breakfast they would do homework and whatever necessary chores that arose. Then after a break for lunch they would continue studying, and finally - after much pleading on Akko's part - they would stop to practice the show routine in the late afternoon, before the sun set and the temperature dropped too much.

Somehow Diana always found herself practicing along with Akko no matter how much she refused at first, but they always had fun. Every few days they would see Ursula to review the show spells. Through all their practice, the two have nearly perfected the act.

However the same can't be said of their homework. Akko was nearing the end of her assignments, but it had taken much longer than Diana had anticipated to finish. Part of it was Akko's difficulty with focusing for very long, and another part was her having to pause in her own work every so often to slowly help Akko through a tough problem. Eventually it reached the point where she had long finished her own homework, and was solely helping Akko.

The two were gathered in Diana's room, a typical occurrence now. Dampened, wintertide sunlight filtered through the windows. Akko with a quill and parchment in her hands struggled over her last botanical report at one end of the couch, while Diana leisurely read a book at the other.

"Uuaaaghh there's too many plants!" Akko whined. "I can't keep all these fancy names in my head!"

"Just use the reference chart like I showed you." Diana gestured to the open textbook on the coffee table.

Diana supposed she should be helping Akko more right now, but at this point there wasn't much else she could do. She could only wait patiently for her to finish.

Her own book was a simple treatise on higher numerology - something to keep her mind sharp. Akko's grumbles faded further and further away as she grew more and more engrossed in her reading. Diana's head filled with images of geometric shapes, infinite sets, and directed graphs.

It seemed like no time had passed at all when Akko shouted out in triumph, jostling her out of her thoughts.

"I'm done! Finally!"

Diana smiled and put down her book. "Great job, Akko. See how rewarding it is when you do your work early? Now we have the rest of the-"

"C'mon let's go see Professor Ursula!" Akko snatched Diana's hand as she bolted from the couch and to the door.

"Akko, wh-! Slow down!"

They reached Ursula's room in no time. Akk rapped on the door and called, "Professor Ursula, it's Akko and Diana!"

"Honestly, Akko," Diana panted, still trying to catch her breath. "You didn't have to rush so much."

"Hehe, sorry I was just so excited at being done!" Akko waited a few more moments, but still no one answered the door. "Professor?"

Akko tried the doorknob. It turned easily, and the door swung open a ways.

"Why would she leave the door unlocked if she's not in?" Diana asked.

"Let's check." Akko poked her in, and saw her Professor seated at a desk, deep in concentration. "Professor, you're here!"

Ursula jumped at her voice. She spun around. "Oh, Akko! I'm so sorry I didn't notice you."

"What are you doing?" Akko asked as she and Diana entered.

"Well… you two couldn't have come at a better time," Ursula's voice suddenly grew solemn. "It has to do with you, Akko."

Diana noticed a letter on the desk as she approached. The words on the paper were glowing softly at their edges, but as the light faded the characters shifted into an unfamiliar script.

 _A translation spell?_ Diana thought. She couldn't read the contents now, but by the worried expression on Ursula's face - Diana suddenly felt a pit in her stomach.

"Akko… we received a letter." Ursula took said letter and handed it to the girl.

"It's from my parents!"

Akko held out the letter at her side so Diana could step in and look too, although it was all in Japanese.

" _Akko, how are you? We hope you are doing well at Luna Nova…"_

Her parents described how things were back home, giving anecdotes here and there. It was all very typical… until the very end, where one portion stood out among the rest. Akko gasped as she read through it.

" _...and especially watching you on the TV. We were amazed, and as parents we couldn't be more proud of all the things you have done._

" _But as parents, we are also very worried about your safety. We were surprised that you have went through all these dangerous situations. That is why have a selfish request - that you cease your studies at Luna Nova…"_

"They're… they're asking me to quit school here…" Akko said, her voice quiet.

"What? What do you mean?" Diana asked. Bitter memories returned of when she herself had received a letter from her home requesting the same thing. "Did they explain why?"

Receiving no reply from Akko, Diana turned to Ursula. The professor sighed and explained - that Akko's parents are just concerned for her safety.

"Akko…" Diana looked back at the girl, who was still silently staring down at the letter in her hands. "What are you going to do?"

But Akko hardly heard her. Her mind was a swarm of thoughts.

Why would her parents ask this of her? After they've been so supportive so far… She has been working so hard, but now the fruit of her efforts is being thrown away.

Diana saw the emotions in her eyes. She could almost guess exactly what was going on in her head.

"Listen Akko, you can't let this dishearten you. I know you - you never give up. You can do something about this!"

"But... what…?"

Ursula placed a hand on Akko's shoulder. "You should talk to them. I can tell they're good parents, so they'd be at least willing to listen."

"Talk to them…?" Akko said, finally looking up from the letter and into Ursula's eyes.

"Yes, show them why you have to stay. Show them the progress you've made. Show them how hard you've been working."

Akko then knew exactly what she needed to do. Her eyes lighted with determination.

"You're right. Thanks, Professor! I know what I have to do." Akko turned to Diana with an excited grin. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I don't think anyone could ever guess what you're thinking, Akko."

Akko spun around and threw her hands in the air. "We're going to put on a magic show!"

"...What?"

"Aaah, I would've liked my first show to be with a big audience," Akko sighed dreamily. "But oh well! Everyone starts somewhere. We'll put on the show we've been practicing this whole break, and once I inspire them with all the amazing magic I've learned they'll definitely let me stay!"

"It's not exactly what I pictured," Ursula laughed. "But it sounds great! I'll do whatever I can to help. The new statutes require that you have an adult to use magic outside the school anyway."

"Thanks, Professor!" Akko threw her arm around Ursula. "Diana?"

"You come up with the craziest plans," Diana sighed, but she couldn't but smile at the ridiculous idea. "But you have my full support as well. I'll order a flight that leaves tomorrow for us right away."

Akko pulled her into the hug as well. "You guys are the best!"

"You two better start packing," Ursula said once they separated. "I'll send them a message that we're coming. We have a lot to prepare for."

* * *

Akko spread her arms out and breathed deeply. "Aaah! Japan!"

It was night - local time - and their party had just stepped off the plane and into the international airport.

"I know I'm trying to convince my parents to let me go back, but it feels good to be home!"

"I wish I could have gotten more sleep to be honest," Diana said to herself.

All through the flight Akko had wanted to go over her show routine with her and Ursula. It was understandable - especially now that it was more important than ever that Akko succeeded - but combined with the girl's constant buzz at flying first class and wanting to try out every feature, it was a restless flight.

"It's been quite a long time since we've been here, hasn't it Diana?" Ursula said.

"Ah, that's right - we were both here 10 years ago," Diana said. Memories of the magic show flitted through her mind.

"C'mon, this way!" Akko led their group through the airport, even though most signs also had English on them.

They went through security, collected their suitcases, and passed through customs. Finally, Akko saw her parents waiting for her in the distance, holding up a sign with "Kagari" written in big letters.

「お母さん、お父さん！」With a shout, Akko ran to her parents and threw herself into their open arms. 「ずっと会いたかった」

「アッコ、久しぶりね. 元気そうでよかった」

Akko only separated their hug when she noticed Diana and Ursula had caught up with her. She stepped towards her friends to introduce them.

「こちらはあたしの友達 Diana Cavendish！そしてこちらは Ursula 先生！二人のかげで本当にお世話になりました」

Diana recognized her name, and she knew she was being introduced. She gave a formal bow and greeted softly, " _It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Kagari._ "

The words felt foreign on her tongue, but at the way Akko's parents' faces lit up, Diana was glad she took the time during the long flight to read through a quick guide on useful phrases in Japanese.

Ursula nodded politely. They decided between them on the plane that her identity as Chariot would remain a secret to her parents - at least at first.

「あのアッコ... どうして連れて来たの?」 Akko's mom said.

Diana reasoned that by now, Akko's parents would be wondering why she had brought them along. She watched as Akko and her parents exchanged brief words back and forth. Finally, with a nod her parents helped grab a few of their bags and suitcases and their group set off again.

"We'll explain why you guys are here later," Akko said as she sidled up with her rolling suitcase to Diana and Ursula. "Right now we're just getting out of the airport and back home."

It took another two hours for them to reach Akko's home from the airport. All the while in the car, Akko pointed out various sites of the city to Diana and Ursula.

"Oh look!" Akko said, pressing her face to the glass. The windows frosted over from her breath. "Over there is a park I mentioned! The one I used to go to all the time as a kid!"

Diana and Ursula looked to where Akko had pointed. In distance was a space of greenery nestled between the buildings.

"Oh I remember that area!" Ursula said. "Nearby is the amphitheatre where I had my magic show..."

Akko noticed a pensive look come across her teacher's face. "What's up, Professor?"

"O-Oh... no, it's nothing!"

"Uh… okay, well anyway! Not only is there that amphitheatre close by…"

Akko's home was a decent sized apartment in the city. By the time they entered her house, everyone was beginning to feel the effects of jet lag. The conversation with her parents would have to wait for tomorrow - possibly late in the day tomorrow.

「アッコ、客間が一つしかないけど...」Akko's mom said as they brought their larger luggage into the living room.

Akko thought for a moment, and then grabbed onto Diana's arm.「客間をアーシュラ先生に、そしてダイアナは私と一緒の部屋にしよう！」

"What's going on, Akko?" Diana asked.

"We only have one guest room, so I said that Professor Ursula can have it and we'll share my bedroom!"

"Share?!" Diana blushed furiously.

"I don't think we have any other choice, do we?" Ursula said with a small laugh.

"I… suppose…"

Akko led Diana to her bedroom. The first thing Diana noticed when she entered was the Shiny Chariot posters covering every inch of the walls. Several more Alcor plushies of various sizes covered the bed, branded clothing filled the closet, and small pieces of merchandise - pins, pens, necklaces, mugs, and more - were scattered everywhere. They decorated the nightstand, the desk, and every shelf of a tall bookcase.

Diana gasped, the idea of being in the same bed as Akko momentarily forgotten.

"Akko, this is… unbelievable!"

"Impressive, isn't it?" The said with a toothy grin. "I've been collecting my whole life!"

Diana went over to the bookcase and peered at a small-scale figure of Chariot brandishing the Shiny Rod over her head. "And the reason you need all these is...?"

"As a fan I have to give my support to Chariot of course!"

Diana continued to scan the bookshelf. She saw trading cards, straps, and keychains. There were CDs, art books, and even a few genuine books on various magical subjects.

She was so absorbed in the sight in front of her that she didn't even notice Akko come up beside her and thrust an object towards her.

"Here Diana, I want you to have this."

"Eh?" Diana turned and saw an Alcor plush in Akko's arms, except it was _huge_ \- bigger than the size of her entire torso. "Why would you…?"

"I never thanked you properly that day. I was so upset over Chariot…" Akko hugged the plush tightly to her chest. "But you cheered me up! You reminded me of how much I love magic… just like how Chariot made me love magic too."

"Akko…"

"And then you gave me the Chariot card I was never able to get. This is nothing compared to all that, but I want to give something back."

Diana felt her heart seize. "You don't have to, Akko. I only-"

"Nope! I'm not hearing any arguments!" Akko thrusted the plush into Diana's arms. "See how much he loves his new mommy~!"

Diana sighed. "Fine, but I'm probably going to need another suitcase to bring this back."

"Hehe maybe. Well I'm going to go change in the bathroom. You can change here!"

A few minutes later, the two had changed into their nightclothes - Akko a shirt and shorts, and Diana a puffy, long-sleeved nightgown. Akko had also relocated all the Alcor plushies from her bed to let room for Diana.

Akko climbed under the covers and patted the spot next to her. "Come on, Diana, we can't stay up all night."

Diana fidgeted nervously at the edge of the bed. "Are you… are you sure it's alright?"

"Yeah it's fine! I used to do this all the time when my friends slept over."

"Okay… then."

Diana slipped slowly under the covers, easing her way in like one dipping their toes in water. Akko turned off the bedside lights. They lay on their sides, facing each other. Despite the cold seeping into the room from outside, it was cozy under the blankets with their combined body heat.

Diana's heart pounded in her chest. She wondered if Akko could feel it at this proximity.

"I never had friends over at my house," Diana whispered.

"Really?" Akko whispered back. "Aww… I'm sorry, Diana."

"It's fine. I just… I thought that this was quite… well… intimate."

Now it was Akko's turn to be embarrassed as well. "W-When you say it like that…"

"Sorry! I… I couldn't help it."

They fell into silence, save the sound of their breaths sighing in tandem. Still awake and facing each other at this distance, it was impossible for either to ignore the other's gentle gaze roaming their own facial features. Yet somehow neither found it uncomfortable.

Quite the opposite actually - Akko thought. It was as if they were watching over each other in the night.

Akko's eyes drifted from Diana's face to her hands, resting closely by on the pillow, then to her hair, soft and gleaming in the moonlight. A faint, flowery fragrance tickled her nose each time she drew a breath, and she found herself taking deeper, longer breaths just to savor more of the scent.

Everyone already praised her looks among her many other noteworthy traits, but in that moment Akko was made painfully aware just how beautiful Diana was.

"You know…" Akko whispered. "I actually only did this with my closest friend."

"Oh... is that so?"

Did that mean Akko considered her in such manner? - Diana wondered. The thought made her heart soar.

"Diana… can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What is it, Akko?"

"Do you think it's going to work? I mean - it's okay if our performance doesn't go well. It's our very first one after all, and Chariot started out small too. But what if… I can't convince them to let me stay at school?"

Diana slid her hand the short distance between them and took Akko's hand in her own.

"That won't happen. I've seen how much you've grown. You're magic has already inspired people around the world. You're going to put on a wonderful show, and your parents will be proud to say that their daughter attends Luna Nova."

Akko gave a faint smile. "That's what I really admire about you - how confident you are. You're always so poised… and you're so smart."

"Really now?" Diana laughed. "To me, you're the one that's confident. You run headfirst into everything… you're not afraid to show everyone exactly how you feel.

"That's why... you shouldn't be afraid of failing now. You're determination is far too great for that to happen. You're going to be a splendid witch, Akko. I know it."

Diana gave Akko's hand a gentle squeeze, and Akko squeezed back.

"Did you know?" Akko said. "Me learning English was a test my parents gave me a long time ago to let me go to Luna Nova. I had to prove to them I was serious about my dreams."

"That's amazing, Akko, I didn't know. Your English is really good."

"Hehe, I still have a tough time pronouncing spells though. Anyway, all this just reminded me of that."

"Well, the way I see it, if you had the drive to succeed back then, you'll do it again."

"Thank you... Diana. Thanks for being here for me."

"Of course. Let's sleep now. You need the rest."

"Mm, you're right... Goodnight, Diana."

"Sleep well, Akko."

* * *

It was great sleeping in her own bed after so long. It had its familiar softness, the right lighting, and she was always surrounded by her Alcor plushies that she could hug. In fact - she did just that.

Akko latched on to the nearest one her hands could reach. Strangely it wasn't as squishy as she remembered, but in her sleepy, muddled mind she didn't care. Somehow it smelled wonderful too. It was familiar and comforting, one she could relax to rather than toss and turn the entire night.

Akko dreamed peacefully that night. Her head swam with images of magic - of colorful, glowing creatures of light, dancing around writhing branches that spiraled up and up, impossibly high into the stars. She stretched out an arm, grasping for the summit of that great tree, and then she felt a hand taking her own, taking her up, taking her to the heavens.

When Akko woke up in the morning, she saw a tufts of pale silky hair in front of her eyes.

"Nghuh?" She let out a big yawn and smacked her lips a few times. She lay there for few moments, slowly blinking away the drowsiness. Once her sight focused, she noticed tresses of silver hair in front of her. Then, everything came to her all at once. "Ghck-!"

That's right - all her plushies were moved to give room for Diana! At some point during the night she must have mistaken her for one. Somehow it hadn't woken Diana up. In fact, Diana had her own arms around Akko as well. When Akko shifted her head upwards she saw Diana's face merely centimeters from her own. Her shallow breaths ghosted across Akko's lips.

All of a sudden Akko was _very_ awake. Akko had just enough self control to not writhe around in her surprise as doing so would likely jostle Diana awake as well.

Diana moaned, shifting just slightly. Akko hurriedly buried her face back in the the crook of Diana's neck. Her cheeks burned and her heart thudded against her chest. Thankfully Diana still didn't wake up - but what would she do when Diana did? She couldn't move at all from this position. She could only wait for the inevitable.

After a while Akko found her heartbeat calming down. Being in Diana's arms was just too comfortable to stay tense. Secretly Akko supposed she didn't mind being in this position. Diana was warm against the chilly weather, and _goodness_ did she smell nice. How could she possibly smell so nice when they've been on a plane for over ten hours and didn't even take a shower?

Akko found herself being lulled back into sleep. She didn't even notice when Diana finally did wake up, yawned, and released her for a stretch. In fact, she clung even tighter to Diana.

"Ak...ko…? A-Akko!"

"Hgck!?" Diana's cry jolted her awake. She pushed away from Diana and tumbled off the side of the bed. "GUEH!"

"Akko! Are you alright?"

Akko sat up and rubbed her back. "Yeah… I'm fine. You just woke me up really suddenly."

"I'm terribly sorry! It's just that we-" Diana stopped, then continued again - very slowly. "Wait… are you aware that… that we were…"

"Oh! Yeah… um…" Akko cleared her throat nervously. "Yeah… I know…"

As embarrassing as it was, she thought that it'd be better not to hide it. They sat in silence, avoiding each other's gazes.

Diana broke it first. "I'm sorry! I don't know why I would - I mean, I've just never had-"

"No it's not your fault Diana!" Akko said quickly. "Really! Cus I have a tendency to hug my Alcor plushies when I sleep, so…"

"Oh… I see… I didn't even notice..."

"Well, that's good haha... I-I mean! That means you slept pretty well, right?"

"I suppose I did," Diana gave a little laugh, and the tension in the room significantly lessened. "How about you?"

"Same! I slept great!"

Just then, Akko noticed the smell of food cooking. That meant her parents were up too. She stood up and stretched.

"Well, let's go get some breakfast. I'm starving!"

They changed into some day clothes and headed into the the kitchen. Akko's mom was already preparing food, and her dad and Ursula were at the table.

" _Good morning, Akko, Diana,"_ her mom said.

Diana nearly flinched in shock. "Wait… I can understand her?"

"Diana, you're speaking Japanese!" Akko shouted.

"Huuh!?"

"That's right!" Ursula said. She gestured to the kitchen counter, where there lay a small glowing orb. "Last night I adapted a verbal translation spell. Everyone in the field of that orb will be able to understand each other."

"Wow, that's pretty handy!" Akko said. "Diana! Say something!"

"U-Uh I uh…" Diana sputtered.

Suddenly being able to speak to Akko's parents directly made her unusually nervous. Of course she already wanted to leave a good impression, but now without having an intermediate translator necessary, it felt like she was entirely responsible for it.

Diana quickly settled on a, "G-Good morning..."

Akko's dad laughed gently. "No worries, we were pretty shocked too at first. Why, we haven't had a first hand exposure to magic in 10 years!"

Akko and Diana took their seats at the table next to each other, across from Akko's parents, and Akko's mom brought over the breakfast. There was buttered toast, eggs, and sausages, as well as coffee, tea, and water.

"Thank you for letting us stay at your house, Mr. and Ms. Kagari," Diana said while they ate.

"Oh don't worry about!" Akko's mom replied, waving her hand. "She is so polite, isn't she, dear?"

"Mhm, your Professor has already told us plenty about both of you."

"What? Really?" Akko turned to Ursula. "What did you say?"

"Aah… well…"

"All good things, Akko, don't worry."

"I'm so happy that Akko has made such wonderful company at school. She's always had a bit of trouble with that."

"Mooom, stop!"

The conversation at the table continued cheerfully, although at the expense of Akko pride. Everyone quickly found common ground in sharing embarrassing stories about Akko's antics, and their stories struck rounds of laughter several times. Before they knew it the food had already been long gone.

"Geez, I have some good moments too!" Akko complained. She was exhausted from defending herself the entire time.

"We know, Akko, we're just teasing," her mom laughed.

"Yup, like I said, your Professor's given you high praise."

"Which is why we have to ask… is this why you've brought them over? To help convince us to let you stay at Luna Nova?"

Suddenly the good mood at the table was gone. Akko stared down at her balled fists in her lap. The moment had come.

"Trust me, honey, we already thought long and hard about this, but… we're willing to listen to whatever you have to say, and think just a little more."

Akko smiled slightly. Not many people listened to her. She was always the dunce that made mistakes. But her parents always did, and that's why she loved them. With this encouragement, she was able to speak.

"Thanks, mom, dad, I hope you will listen to me." Akko then looked up, and looked directly into her parents eyes. "But you know I've never been good with words, which is why… I want you to watch me put on a magic show!"

The surprised looks on her parents' faces were expected. It was a rather unorthodox request after all. As her parents shared a look between them, Akko felt Diana put a hand over hers under the table.

"Alright, Akko." Her mom said. "We will."

Akko gasped. "Really?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"Okay! Well uh… we might need to prepare a bit more, but I was thinking maybe we can just step outside later today and-"

"Actually, I believe I can help," Ursula said. "Another thing I did last night was getting in touch with a few old contacts of mine.

"Remember the amphitheatre near the park we drove by? I reserved a slot for us there late at night. We even have a small backstage crew to help us."

"Professor… that's amazing!" Diana said. "Do you really think that's necessary?"

"I plan to go around advertising today and garner a good audience. I want Akko's first show to a good one."

"Professor…" Diana suddenly noticed little bags beneath Ursula's eyes.

"Wow… then in that case, Diana!" Akko turned to her friend. "I want you to perform with me!"

"EH!? W-Why?"

"Well it's such a big stage! And… if we get a big audience, I'd like you to be there to help me. Please? After all our practice you know the show just as well as I do!"

Diana never imagined that she would be performing too. Of course she'd displayed her magical skills in front of an audience before - such as at the Samhain Festival - but this was for entertainment. It was completely different.

However, if Akko was asking for her to help, then how could she refuse? Akko was giving her the cutest puppy eyes too.

"Alright, I will," Diana said, putting on a smile. "I said I'll give you my full support."

Akko could only laugh and pull her into a hug.

"Well, it sounds like you have a lot to do," Akko's mom stood and began clearing away the plates.

Akko's dad also stood. "I've got to get to work, but I'm look forward to tonight!"

"I'll start advertising right away!" Ursula said.

"And we're going to practice our butts off the whole day!" Akko grabbed Diana's hands and pulled her up. "Let's do this!"

* * *

It was nearly time.

Akko, Diana, and Ursula were gathered on stage behind the closed curtains. Akko and Diana were dressed in their costumes, which left them somewhat chilly against the winter night air. They could hear the low hum of excitement from a sizeable crowd. It was the first magic show to be showcased to the public in over 10 years after all.

"Wow… I didn't expect this many people to come," Diana said. On one hand she was glad that they had a good audience, but on the other hand it only made her more nervous. "You really did your job, Professor."

"It wasn't that hard," Ursula giggled. "Everybody wants to see the two witches who saved the world."

A crew member approached them and saluted. "Everything's ready to go! We can begin any time."

"Okay, one last piece of advice for you two - a practical one." Ursula placed a hand on Akko and Diana's shoulder. "Witches haven't drawn power from Yggdrasil in ages, so I did what research I could on it.

"Drawing power from Yggdrasil is a bit different than from a Sorcerer's Stone. Magical power doesn't just flow through you like it always does. You have to call for it. The witches of old described the feeling as far more potent. It's wild, untamed, and… alive."

"It sounds a bit complicated," Akko said. "Should we be worried?"

"No, I don't think so - I've been trying it myself the whole day after all." Ursula giggled. "It comes quite naturally to us witches, but I just wanted to let you know what to expect, so it doesn't throw you off."

"Thank you for all you've done for us, Professor," Diana said.

"Don't mention it," Ursula turned them towards the stage. "Now it's time for you two to shine. Do your best!"

"We will!" Akko said. "Thanks so much, Professor!"

"I believe in you!"

Ursula headed backstage, and Akko and Diana assumed their starting positions. The lights dimmed momentarily, announcing the start of the show, and the chatter of the audience began to subside.

"Are you sure you don't want to use Shiny Rod?" Diana whispered.

"It's a bit too late now," Akko giggled. "Also, you're here with me. I don't want only one of us holding it."

It was truly silent now. The show would begin any minute now.

"You ready, Diana?" Akko said.

"I'm ready," Diana replied, and they closed their eyes.

The two casted their minds out, seeking for the magical power that wove through the world. Almost instantly, they found it floating all around them like the very air - and like air they took it in as one takes in a deep breath. It was invigorating, as if they've never had a true breath of fresh air in their whole lives. The feeling filled Akko with confidence.

"Welcome, families and friends!" Ursula's voice announced.

The curtains began to part. Akko counted down in her head.

 _3… 2… 1..._

A single spotlight lit up above them. Akko and Diana spun and crossed their wands, pointing towards the audience.

" _Lumione almaro!"_

The tips of their wands glowed white, and a shower of ivory sparkles burst forth, floating over the audience's heads. A collective gasp rose from the crowd.

Music began to play - grandiose and lively, full of high staccato notes. More spotlights turned on. Their beams swept across the audience in seemingly random directions. Their lights shimmered off the sparkles suspended in the air. Flashes of silver flared everywhere.

" _Suivra'me!"_

Diana and Akko separated and began their dance - a step, a spin, a leap, another spin - each action accompanied by a flourish of their wands. They traveled symmetrically across the stage, and as they danced the sparkles flitted around to match their movements. Each twirl of their wands was a circle in the air, and each swing of their arms was a wide arc.

Akko laughed out loud. Casting the magic was more beautiful than she ever dreamed of in all their practices. She whooped right along with the cheering audience.

She stole a quick glance at Diana, who also seemed to be enjoying herself. By chance, Diana also looked over at her and the two locked eyes. They smiled at each other, and for a moment, nothing else mattered except the two of them - enjoying this moment together.

Slowly, they drew the sparkles in. The sparkles gathered around them until they were clothed in silver and the stage was awash in white light. Now would come the most intricate part of the routine.

" _Farba enterta!"_

The lights around them glowed even brighter. One after another, they each took on their own individual color, splashing a mural across the stage.

The dance slowed. The bouncing, spritely movements were replaced with lengthy, flowing gestures. The music also changed. It was now deeper, richer, and somber.

As they danced, the lights shifted, the colors changed repeatedly, and the painting moved. It first depicted a flowery field. Then, it became a colorful night sky. The Milky Way and other celestial clusters spanned the vista. Then a lonely figure stood against the stellar backdrop, reaching for the stars.

Their dance was a narrative now. It commanded a story - one of an individual filled with wanderlust. The lights drew out the scenes.

A man sent a prayer up to the heavens. He had a wish to explore the stars. A bird came upon him, promising to take him - but at the sacrifice of his loved ones. Once taken, he may never return to his earth again. Rejecting the offer, he drove the bird away. But as the bird flew off, it shed its feathers, and with them the man and his loved ones soared to the stars together.

At the finale, their dance circled tighter and tighter until they finally crossed again. They thrust their wands upwards. In response, the lights swirled around them and rose in a column high into the night sky. They funneled at the top into a ball, growing in size until all the lights were collected.

Akko and Diana linked their free arms together. With a flourish of their wands out to their sides, they casted one final spell.

" _Leibrare!"_

Their word reverberated through the air. The ball of light soared ever higher, exploded, and became the shimmering auroras.

The crowd burst into applause. Up on stage, Akko and Diana held their pose, breathing heavily, but smiling brightly. Once again, they shared a single look, and instantly they both knew that the show was a success.

When the lights above them finally began to fade, Akko and Diana, hand in hand, walked to the front of the stage. Together, they gave a deep bow.

The audience continued to cheer. Akko and Diana stood on the stage longer, waving to the guests. Akko searched for her parents, but it was hard to see in the dark.

"Akko… we did it!" Diana said, still panting. Her voice fought to be heard among the applause.

"We did, didn't we?"

"It was… it was so beautiful!"

"Yeah, it was!"

"Right now… I can see why… why this is your dream!"

* * *

"Professor, Professor!" Akko ran into Ursula's arms. "Did you see us?"

"Yes, I did! You were amazing! And you as well, Diana," Ursula said as Diana walked came near. "I think that was even better than my show here."

"What! Nothing can be better yours!"

Ursula laughed and patted Akko's head. "Don't be so modest. You two were spectacular."

The three of them were backstage again. They had agreed beforehand to meet back in the dressing rooms along with her parents. As they waited, Akko and Diana changed out of their stage costumes and back into civilian clothes.

"Should it be taking them this long?" Akko asked.

"Perhaps they're lost," Diana said. "We had our liaison, but the layout of this building is pretty confusing."

"I could go look for them." Ursula offered.

"No, you've done enough for us, Professor. I'll go fetch them."

"Oh please, you two were the ones performing."

"And you reserved this venue, gathered the audience, and organized the stage crew." Diana was already at the door. "Rest and let me handle this, Professor."

Ursula sighed as Diana left the room, and sat down in a bench. "What a good girl. She works so hard."

"What about me, Professor?" Akko said, taking a seat next to her teacher.

"You as well, Akko," Ursula laughed. "You two make a great team."

"Did you really mean it, Professor? When you said it was even better than your show?"

"Of course. It had everything. It was flashy, but it told a deeper story too. It was something that can capture any heart - young or old."

Akko beamed at the praise. "I hope my feelings got through to my parents."

"I hope so too. But no matter what, it was a splendid performance, and a true teacher always wishes for their students to surpass them."

A moment of silence passed before Akko spoke up again. "Professor Ursula? There's something I've wanted to ask you for a while now, but…"

"Oh... what is it?"

"It's something I've always wanted to ask Chariot. You see, I want to be a great witch because of the love for magic that you gave me. But, well… what made _you_ want to be an entertainer?"

Ursula closed her eyes for a moment and thought quietly.

"I have a deep love for magic too, but there's something else. To me, there's two types of magic in the world."

She pulled out her wand and held it up in the air. A mirage materialized before them. A group of magicians were gathered around a summoning circle. Lightning flashed in the sky. The circle glowed, and the air trembled with an immense power. Even through the mirage Akko could feel her chest beating.

Before the scene could progress any further, the vision faded, and Ursula stowed her wand away.

"That was the first kind - arcane, otherworldly, powerful."

"Wow… and the second kind?"

Ursula smiled coyly. "What's that behind your ear, Akko?"

"Huh? There's nothing-"

Akko stopped when Ursula reached behind her ear and seemingly pulled a coin out of nowhere. She looked back and forth between Ursula and the coin in her hand before bursting out in laughter.

"Pffahaha! Professor, I didn't know you could do tricks like that!"

"See that right there? That's the second kind."

Akko stopped laughing. "Heh?"

"That laugh. Ever since I was a child, it was my dream to be a witch who could make everyone smile, because to me, that's a kind of magic in itself."

"Ah…" Akko looked at her teacher with admiration in her eyes.

Just then, the door opened. Akko's parents stepped into the room, followed by Diana. Akko sprang up and ran to hug them.

"Mom! Dad!" Akko's mom hugged her back, while her dad patted her back with his free hand. In his other, he held the translation orb.

"We are so proud of you!" Akko's mom said. "What an amazing show you two put on!"

"Don't I feel lucky to be one of the first to see a show like that in over 10 years!"

Akko stepped back from the hug. "So uh… have you made up your mind?"

Her parents looked at each other for a moment. Then her mom nodded, "Yes, I believe we have."

Akko took in a deep breath as she anticipated their answer. Diana came up beside her. She placed a hand on her shoulder and offered a smile.

"We still stand by everything we have explained in our letter to you, about why we're concerned for your safety."

"However," her dad continued. "After meeting your friend, Diana, and your teacher, we realized that you have good people around you, and we should have nothing to worry about."

"Does this mean…?" Akko gasped.

"After seeing that great magic show," her mom finished. "We can tell you've been working so hard. We wouldn't want to take that away from you. Keep up your grades at Luna Nova, Akko. We've never been prouder."

Akko leaped into the air. "Yaaay!"

She cheered and cheered, then hugged Diana, still laughing and jumping up and down all the while.

"Alright, Akko, calm down now," Diana said, also laughing. Akko's laughs were too contagious not to.

Ursula came up to them with their bags in her hand. "Shall head back then?"

"Yeah!" Akko yelled, and promptly they were out the door.

Ursula chatted amiably with Akko's parents as she led the way through the corridors. Akko hung back slightly with Diana. Her excitement has mellowed now into a quiet contentment.

"Akko," Diana said next to her. "I'm so happy that you can stay at Luna Nova. I just… I don't know what I would do without you."

"Aww, Diana!" Akko hugged onto her arms. "Me too, I didn't want to leave you all."

They passed by an open door that lead outside onto the stage. Akko saw through the door the curtains were left open, and rows of empty seats faced them.

"Hey, Diana, come with me!" Akko whispered, and pulled her to the door.

"Akko, what...!? What are you doing?"

Akko led Diana onto the stage and to the very edge, right where they last stood to wave at the audience. They air was even chillier than earlier, but thankfully they were in proper clothes now. Akko closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"What's going on, Akko? Why are we here?"

Akko imagined the audience - their cheers, their applause, and most of all their smiles full of wonder. She could almost feel their happiness lifting her spirits. In fact, at the edgiest of her consciousness, she could detect the magical energy they generated still lingering in the air. Chariot was right - a believing heart, and a simple smile, truly is magic.

Akko opened her eyes and turned to Diana.

"Sorry, I'm just… so happy, Diana. And I'm so happy that I got to share experience this… with you."

"Akko…" Diana gasped softly. "I feel the same way. I'm glad we were able to share this together."

Akko tightened her grip on Diana's hand. They stared at each other - and the times that they've spent together flickered through their minds.

Suddenly, something caught Akko's eye - a white speck floating in front of her eyes. She looked up, and saw the first snowfall of the year drifting down. Akko held out her other hand and watched as the flakes fluttered down into it.

It reminded her of the silver sparkles in their performance. She was already bursting with excitement to start planning all new show routines, but this particular tonight would be one she would never forget. It was her first, and it was beautiful.

Akko realized then, that in that moment, she had already lived her dream.

* * *

 **A/N:** I was hoping to finish for Happy LWA Week, but I didn't make it, oh well. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed my story! I've put my all into it! This is my love letter to LWA. It's thanks to it that I've made so many great friends and memories. I dedicate this story to them.


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